Death toll in China's coronavirus outbreak sharply rises to 17

death toll from new coronavirus outbreak in China nearly doubled to 17 with confirmed infection cases sharply rising to 444 on Wednesday, even as cases of dely pneumonia were reported from US, Hong Kong, Macao and Mexico.

Chinese authorities have warned that disease could spre furr in ongoing holiday season during which millions travel at home and abro amid official visories to people of Wuhan, epicentre of illness, t to leave city.

Seventeen people have died due to virus, state-run China Daily reported.

coronavirus is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from common cold to acute respiratory syndromes, but virus that has killed people in China is a vel strain and t seen before.

Common symptoms of vel coronavirus strain include respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties, according to WHO.

Chinese health authorities said that 444 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by a vel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) h been reported in 13 provincial-level regions in country.

Considering its potential to spre to different countries, World Health Organisation (WHO) is holding a rare emergency meeting Geneva on Wednesday to consider declaring Wuhan virus as an international public health emergency, as it did with swine flu and Ebola.

Such a declaration, if me, will be seen as an urgent call for a coordinated international response in view of fears that millions of Chinese are travelling at home and abro for Chinese New Year and Spring Festival holidays starting from January 24.

festival triggers biggest mass migration, clogging ro, rail and air networks every year.

Altoger 149 new confirmed cases were reported on Tuesday, Li Bin, deputy director of National Health Commission, told at a press conference here on Wednesday.

Li said China was w at "most critical st" of prevention and control following confirmation that that human-to-human transmission of virus h taken place.

official said re was evidence that disease was "mainly transmitted through respiratory tract".

With most cases outside Wuhan are linked to city, Chinese officials are vising 11.5 million people of city t to leave to make it easier to contain virus.

"Basically, do t go to Wuhan. And those in Wuhan please do t leave city," Li said.

State-run Xinhua news ncy reported that strict measures have been taken to prevent spre of virus. A total of 15 rmal detectors have been set up in Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, and 20 rmal detectors have been installed at three major railway stations of city.

city will also strictly monitor and control farmers' markets, supermarkets and restaurants as well as toughen crackdowns on wild animal tre, Li said.

He ded that public garings will be restricted, and unnecessary entry and exit trips to Wuhan will be called off.

Officials also cancelled Friday prayers of Muslims in mosques in city.

"We should be strictly on guard against pneumonia situation spreing outside Wuhan," Li said.

Gao Fu, he of Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said evidence has so far emerged showing that a super-spreer, or a highly contagious virus carrier.

He ded that based on current evidence, virus was originated from wild animals sold at a seafood market of Wuhan.

In accordance with laws and regulations, quarantine measures are being taken on entry and exit ports, Li said.

Overseas, one case has been confirmed in Japan, three in Thailand, and one in Korea. first case of virus has w been reported in Seattle in US with official confirmation that a person arrived from Wuhan.

patient was hospitalised on Sunday, after arriving in Seattle from Wuhan on January 15, officials at US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

Latest cases have been reported from Hong Kong, Macao and Mexico. Many Chinese cities including Beijing have alrey reported such cases.

Li said figures from commission show a total of 2,197 close contacts have been traced. A total of 1,394 are under medical observation while 765 people have been discharged.

Most of deaths were reported in central Hubei province, where virus first appeared in city of Wuhan.

China is yet to confirm exact source of virus.

"Though transmission route of virus is yet to be fully understood, re is a possibility of virus mutation and a risk of furr spre of epidemic," Li said.

Wuhan Health Commission said it would authorise medical institutions to quarantine all patients and people in close contact with m as a prevention and control measure, Li said.

On Tuesday, National Health Commission upgred coronavirus to a Class B infectious disease, but said it would use stricter control measures for a Class A disease to handle outbreak, meaning any infection nationwide must be reported within two hours and monitored.

India has alrey issued a travel warning and monitoring situation as Wuhan has about 700 Indian students.